I have read many articles on wood used for coin storage, and I know most can cause damage over time. My question is auto quality paint used in a coin display or cabinet harmful to coins? It would be made of wood, primered, and painted. The coins themselves would either be slabbed or in air tites. I would really appreciate some feedback on this.
Speaking only for myself, I would not be comfortable with any chemicals as are in primers and finish paint anywhere near my coins.
Maybe check with your local museum to see if they have a curator with an opinion. They have experience with such things and need to be careful with their exhibits. Just a thought.
Automotive quality paint is typically lacquer. Lacquer is a relatively fast drying finish. That’s why we like it for automotive work. We can “finish the finish” a day or so after we paint…. However lacquer continues to off gas for as much as six months after the paint was laid down. It is one of the components that contributes to that “new car smell”……. I don’t know of anyone that has tested the off gassing of a lacquer finish with coins. But I do know that many coins have been damaged from chemical off gassing. I owned one beautiful MS65 SLQ that went black from gun cleaning chemical off gassing. I think that unless you have the patience to wait six months after you paint that you will be rolling the dice with your coins. Good luck.
Please don't think I'm trying to start an argument. This something I really want to do, but I don't want to ruin the coins. As for me don't hesitate to tell me truly what think, I'm thick skinned. I'm not sure a museum would be the best place to check. Susan Maltby, a museum curator specializing in coins, stated many museums lacquer their coins to reduce maintenance costs for polishing and cleaning. I also read the Smithsonian polishes their coins or at least did in the past because americans like shiny coins. I thought all cars are now painted with acrylic polyurethane (enamel) due to having a higher degree of UV resistance compared to lacquer. I do know, according to the internet, this enamel has no PVCs. But I do not know if it has any other gasses that could be harmful. The reason I am so cautious about this is an article I read ten or twelve years ago. The article said third party grading services do not guarenteed to be air tight and some gasses can permeate an air tite. Another reason I want to do this is because their is only maybe thirty five to forty coins more I want. I would like to have them set-up for my kids and wife afterwards.
I can't speak with any scientific certainty to your point, but I wouldn't be comfortable with that scenario.
All woods out gas. Some more than others. It slows down with age but humidity keeps it going. Paints and most any finish will out gas for a long time. I don't see either as a good choice for coin storage.
I'd suggest an antique - something that hasn't been treated in decades that has already off gassed any significant harmful chemicals combined with Intercept Shield anti-corrosion strips, or some other vapor corrosion inhibitor technology product, which can be unobtrusively placed above or behind coins on display. I hope you'll post pictures of whatever you settle on. I am also eventually thinking about a display piece. Currently I use Intercept Shield boxes and Lighthouse albums with Littleton anti-corrosion pages - both ideas I picked up on this forum. I especially like the albums. I have them for both raw coins in flips and slabbed coins (you just buy different pages to put in the album).
I think I have made a decison on what I am going to do about this. I am going to think about it tonight and tomorrow, and if I don't change my mind I will post. Thank you for post and advice.
If you are determined to do it, find somethings made of silver ( spoon, foreign coins, silver dimes , plates etc. ) that are dispensable and sandpaper the surface until shining and put into the box and seal for a month or two. Since it would be fresh paint, the silver would react in that time if it is going to. If you always keep a "scrubbed silver something " you can tell when you open the box if it is acting as a sacrificial reactor. Best of luck, IMO Jim
I am going to do this, will certainly take a long time. I probably will start in september actually doing the sawing and painting. I see a lot of measuring and planning going on here also. I had previously thought about something like MIGuy suggested, but I look forward to doing this since I am retired for the most part. I will do something like desertgem suggested, probably the dime route.
